Barbara

how is he supposed to get the players used to the tactics and prepare them for the following season if he keeps rotating them? People were jumping on him until december because no other team rotated as we did, now they're jumping on him because he doesn't rotate. That's right, let's not forget we only had an expected starting ten/eleven in December, which means the players were rotated until them and now the titular players aren't missing matches. So when he's finally found his team he had to give them chemistry and have the tactics settle... it's damaging them physically? Yes, it is. I never said there was a way out of it, it is what it is, but I don't see how he could do things differently, unless he gives up on winning the title - which he and the club won't. If he gave up in the title and focused only on getting his players ready for next season, as a squad, and not only as a team, then he could rotate more. Now, who's willing to accept that? @MrExcalibur100, I'm infamously known for my huge posts, that wasn't nearly the biggest one I've written here. It's both a blessing and a disgrace and ofc a chance to spout much more shit than others

I think it's a combination of things that gravitate around those two. When you go years without proper tactics that only rely on individual brilliance - defending (UCL whole defensive line), creating (Mata for two years) or scoring important goals (Drogba) you gamble a few things. But tactically we were very poor for 3-4 years now. I disagree we don't have world class players (I HATE that expression to start with). We have some very high class players - that make mistakes just like any others. Cech is still one of the top goalies in the world, our defense is one of the best, especially Terry/Cahill partnership this year. But then you look at midfield and attack and we have four kind of players: promising young talents, players over their peak struggling physically and technically at points, flops and players not good enough. Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Willian, Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, Torres, Eto'o and Ba all fit one (or more) of those categories... Then we've got Matic and Salah this winter. I don't want to rate Salah now, I predict he'll have a very challenging season comes next year, so let's give the kid a couple of years to adapt. It can't be worse than Ramires when he's first arrived here and I find a lot of similarities in their style, although they play in different positions, but I expect something as bad as that. So the players (the ones who were already here) go years (or months for players who arrived last season) without a strong and well defined tactical plan. We used to get a new manager at every breath Abramovich took so there was no stability, and they just kept changing tactics. It's so much easier for the players (the talented ones) to rely on talent rather than on tactics. Their talent comes natural and effortless many times, but tactics demand a lot of hard work. I'm not saying those guys weren't working hard the last few years, but can anyone honestly compare what was demanded from them then by all the wannabes coaches we had and what Mourinho demands? Just look at Mata. Rely on his talent is much easier than make a lot of sacrifices, concessions and double your work on the pitch. That alone, regardless of the tactics Mourinho chooses already causes an impact physically. The training sessions are harder (many players said it throughout the years, Drogba said it just this week), Mourinho is fiercer than many and demands a lot in general and then you add the tactics. Mourinho is using what is imo the most demanding, exhausting, all-consuming tactics, which is counter-attacked combined with high pressure (high in the amount and in the zone in the pitch). So not only those guys are working now more than they were used to, they're asked more from their manager, but they also 'play' more. They run more, they tackle more, they pursue and chase more the ball and the opponents. It's no wonder most of them look like The Walking Dead - Footie Edition. I really, really, really, really (did I say how much I really?) dislike it when people just throw words like 'they're paid millions, they're professional athletes, they only play twice a week and many weeks only once, that's all they do, they only trained the whole week'. The only way I can accept that is if you've been a professional football player, played in a top team and can testify about what you went through, otherwise it's just a bunch of assumptions from people who think modern football is a cake walk because the players are paid so much money. I know in person some retired professional Brazilian footballers such as Silas - a striker who's played the 80's and the 90's - some of you may know. Marquinhos - a defender who played in Brazil, a few Flamengo players (including Zico, but Zico is from a different time) and many, many, many volleyball players I had a chance to talk to some of those guys about football. It's not as easy as you think. So people come here and say 'but we had a week's rest, but player X hasn't played two matches, but we have depth, blah, blah, blah'. Silas became a manager a few years ago and he's talked about physical recovery with a group of us some time ago (we used to go to the same church0. It's insane. Those guys get dumped into tubes filled with ice, after hot showers, get a lot of massages, some get some injections to recover muscles and articulations. And they deal with a crazy amount of pain. Silas said that after 5-6 months of competition, most of those guys are playing in pain... and then someone says 'but he had a week's rest'. The human body has its limitations and professional modern sports became way too demanding. It's so easy for us, glorified couch potatoes that may at most go to the gym, play some footie, tennis or even golf a few times a week (no longer than 90 minutes) come here and say tiredness is an excuse. Some players deal better with that, some teams win more easily and the matches are less demanding, some tactics (like the ones we had in the past) are softer, but at the end of the day modern sports keep 'evolving' as if the human body followed the technology and players were robocops, part machine, part human. Modern medicine, physiotherapy and other areas help to body to endure more than it could 50 years ago, but I wonder where the end of this will be. So I look at those human beings and their human bodies and I can understand and believe when Mourinho says Ramires and Oscar have been playing injured and how Terry who we were said to have an 'almost injury' and was supposed to miss a match missed three weeks of football. They're not made of steel and as I said at the beginning, unless you've endured what they do for a few years, don't come here and say tiredness is an excuse as if you were talking about how tired you are after a semester at college or after a few consecutive days working 10h a day in your office. There have also been a lot of TV programs produced about it and I'm sure a few of you already came across them. They are tired, the tactics settled, but I think physically they're too much for them to handle now, so they're coping. Some matches - the big ones - they naturally have bigger motivation. They know the importance, they bring something from their 'storage' and just deliver an amazing performance. Just yesterday I said I was worried about how far we were in this transition year in terms of completing the transition, but earlier today I was thinking about exactly this and I convinced myself, they're already working 'overtime'. They are already at the end of their breaths because those guys (regardless of the teams they played, as most of our new players in the past couple of years came from softer leagues and managers) aren't used to all this. They;ll get better at it, they'll cope, but let's not forget that despite being awfully rich and getting paid some ridiculous amount of money a week, it does nothing or very little to turn their bodies in the machines some expect them to be. Had Mourinho picked a softer tactic, I think they'd go through the same exhaustion process, maybe a month down the road (if so) because Mourinho is demanding himself as well as his training sessions. But Mourinho didn't pick a softer tactic, he went with one of the most consuming and the players are running out of gas, making gas stops too often because they can't get their tanks full, only get 10 bucks of it every time they stop. I'm not as worried as I was yesterday (even then it was a slight concern, nothing major) about how far we're in the transition. I think we completed the tactics adaptation in the practical sense of it. Now we're going through the physical part. That's not suppositions and theories, that's physics, biology, physiology and in all honesty, obviousness. But still, anyone here is entitled to disagree and think otherwise, what's obvious to me could make no sense to the next person.

that's precious, sweetheart, because I'm one of Ramires biggest criticizers in the forum and I get criticized on my dislike for him a lot. I just said I don't know if Willian has the winner spirit in him and I admitted in many posts that Oscar's been poor, what's your point really, lovely? Come back when you have something useful or substantial to say. *rolls eyes*

yeah, but having people disagree with you shouldn't lead to this hostility. And I think while many have decent posts - positive and negative - some make it look like we suck further than Manchester United. IDK but it's been a while since there was such a hostile environment here among our own.

wow, I'm a few pages back, catching up with the thread and I have to concede to people complaining... it IS worse than the Gala fans trolling. The fights and the environment seems very negative, not only about the match, but very unfriendly too. Are we seriously getting into that kind of mood - as a forum - over a draw away? Yeah, disappointing, pathetic second half and display, but one would think we've lost the title or were Manchester United...

I liked your post, but I think the overreaction from 'the positive wing' isn't on people simply showing discontent with how we played. There are always people with the same old thing that we should play 'beautiful football', 'proper football' or the good old one 'we have millions worth players, they should play as such'. I honestly think that's what bothers most (it bothers me too). So I suppose most people complaining about the moaners are complaining about the overreaction. Or maybe you're right and they aren't. Well, I'm not here to be Miss Positive (and I'm positive), but I do agree with many - and I've said it myself - we've been quite poor in some matches this season (some say the last four, but because of my job, this is the first live match I've watched among those 4. I watched a replay of Everton and we weren't as nearly as bad as some made it sound). Maybe I'm a victim of what I said the other day when I watched the replay. At the heat of the moment your frustration grows and your perception is affected by it. When you watch later knowing the result (in that case a last minute goal, a draw would still entice some frustration because the top of the league was at stake) you can see things in a much more rational way. I think we were poor piss, but that's it. We could play one of those big matches in the home leg (I hope we do because they actually have a decent attack) and everything is fine. What bothers me - and I don't care what names I'm going to be called by 'proper fans' for saying it - is that imo our main objective this season was getting the team ready for next season, giving Hazard and Oscar another season in English football under their belt and work on their development. Have Schurrle and Willian go through their adaptation. I feel most of our evolution isn't about those players getting better (although ofc Hazard improved a lot), I think most of the evolution we've showed so far (results wise) is simply because of Mourinho's presence and tactics (which are highly effective imo). When Mikel came I bitched, but 2 minutes later, after I calmed down, I knew he did the right thing. He knows he can't trust the team yet, and if stating such thing makes me a bad fan, I'm sorry, but that's my opinion. We don't have a reliable team. Which isn't the end of the world, I'm one of the firm believers this season was all about transition. It's the transition itself that worries me a little bit. I think we've solved 70% of our pivot problems with Matic and we're headed to solve partially or totally our strikers' issue. While we could use another LB and a better partner for Matic, we can survive and be very competitive with the options we have. I think Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Schürrle, Matic (but not Salah) will have much better seasons next year, not only because the young boys will be more mature, but because they'll be more (or completely) adapted to the English style. It's not the quality of them that worries me (a bit) as much as it is their mentality. Sorry, but I can't look to a player like Mikel and see the thirsty from a winner in his eyes. I can see that in Oscar's eyes (and his dedication in the pitch also testifies to that), but I'm not sure about Willian or Schürrle, for example. That's the difference and Didier actually talked about it in the interview about Chelsea and Mourinho that he gave yesterday. He said Mourinho taught them how to be winners, how to hate losing. I hope Mou does the same here, and I hope we don't have any players that instead of lacking a bit of the ideology, just lack the real thing and then Mourinho can't help them. It's just it's a bit unexpected for me that comes March and we still show the same issues we did in September... the 180 turns we keep taking is a bit uncomfortable, and something I honestly expected not to see by now. Maybe the team is tired, but I think they simply lack the winner's spirit (except our old legends, who've proved in the past to have a lot of hunger for victories. Mourinho taught or developed further that about them). But count me out of the bandwagon that thinks this is the end of the world, that we're passive, don't attack, that Mourinho is conservative and all that jazz. I think we should do better when possessing the ball than we do, but that's the least of my concerns now. It's the overall bipolar performances that bother me a bit. what he's said. If there's something I don't really care is what the world thinks of the level or the kind of football we present. I don't give a flying fuck, as you put so well. I do have any idea of what I want to see (not style wise, but performance wise), so I also agree about the bit that we're inconsistent and that's the main issue. But then again his season is here to work on that, not to win titles - IF WE WIN TITLES (the caps aren't for you), that's great, if we're in a position to win them, amazing, but the main purpose of this season I think was settling the players down with Mourinho's tactics and develop them further. That's where I'm a bit lost in the real assessment of what's happened so far.

They wasted a chance with our very own Sideshow Bob, but this is pretty cool. lol, internet can be such a blessing: It seems like they'll feature in an episode, according to the Bleach Report http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1974692-chelsea-players-to-star-in-an-episode-of-the-simpsons?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-UK

you missed the main and coolest part, Jay we're the coolest MFers in the world of football Except Terry - who seems to be crying, all the other are amazingly similar to the actual players. I'm going to use this as my sig, lol another one:

Completely toothless match by a team that seemed completely out of it. The only positive I have from this match is Azpili having a great first half and Schurrle doing well with the minutes he was given. Everything else is a big disappointment and while the 1x1 isn't a bad result when you look at the great scheme of things, there's no way we shouldn't have left with a victory by at least three goals. But we never really wanted it, or we never really worked for it. Our inability to complete the final pass and our attackers being completely uninspired was hard to endure. Which is why I can't be too mad at Mourinho for bringing bloddyMikel - especially to substitute our best attacker... How can you trust a team like this? In all honesty, I just can't and I think he doesn't either. He realized we were a fuckery fest, and decided that 1-1 was better than losing the match. His RM scored 6 on this team last year, so it's not like Mourinho is always conservative and looking for away draws, it's just this Chelsea isn't reliable, end of it. We can play like the top dogs in one match (City for EPL) and then as a second level team in the next. This team lacks consistency and then people think when Mourinho says we aren't ready he's playing mind games. I do hope we win EPL, but if we do, it just shows what a master of a manager we have and how ball-less and inoffensive Arsenal and Liverpool have become - even if EPL is the best league in the world (as I'm heavily implying if we win the title it'll be with a half-decent team, but with a magnificent manager, which proves our point that Mourinho - or someone of his caliber - is what we've missed the most since Carlo left). City has a new manager just like we do and although they have much better players (in the attack), they also have a busy schedule and not so much depth in some positions, so while they're the favorites, they may suffer from the huge amount of games they're playing (although I suppose they might exit Champions League in the R16). Now back to us and UCL... in theory a 1x1 away is a very good result, but seeing how unreliable and how bipolar this team is, I'm actually not so sure we'll make through R8. If we show this quality in SB - and let's not fool ourselves, we had some very poor matches at home this season too and scrapped some wins and draws while looking bad - I'm afraid we'll lose. It's not like I bother too much by it, I love UCL, but I'm not obsessed by it... But the danger is because they actually have a decent attack that was completely uninspired today. Gala sucks monkey ball, all of us can testify that after tonight, but they have very decent attackers and if we don't show up again, we'll be trading with our luck - which I don't know if it's that bad. Two less week-games for us could actually help us with the EPL title, and while I don't like to lose and I think we should beat Gala and go into quarters, if we don't it might a blessing in disguise. What is no blessing is how this team is still very much heartless and powerless from time to time and while that was okay for the first few months, I do wonder if we'll really be that strong comes next season if we don't improve considerably. Our main problem is strikers, and I believe Mourinho gave the directors an ultimatum and we'll get better strikers - or at least one good striker and recalling Lukaku. Matic makes wonders to our midfield (I don't even want to comment on Rami-Lamps tonight), but in matches like today's when Torres was decent and the pivot wasn't good, but didn't compromise , it feels we lack attitude and a winning spirit. I don't know what are the mechanics of changing players into winners, but I hope Mourinho does. He's done it in the past, but we'd never know if he just awoke natural winners, or if he really changed regulars players into winners thirsty blood suckers... I'm yet to figure out what kind of profile of players we have, but some of them don't scream winner attitude for me.

You know how bad a referee is when Felipe Melo plays a match and doesn't get a yellow. I'll come back later with the rest of what I think of this pathetic presentation by our team. I'm supposed to rate our players and write an article on it now. Wish me luck, cos I'll need.

Ramires' decision making is one of the worst I've seen in top class clubs. He's shocking

that's probably true... but nobody here is concerned about whether we'll qualify or not, but we're pissed about how fucking pathetic we are. We should be winning this by at least 3, not being satisfied with a draw - that while isn't a bad result overall, is ridiculous seeing how weak the other side is. I want to get pissed at Mourinho for being so conservative, but I can't, because he knows this team sometimes just doesn't have balls - and today is one of those toothless displays by us, so I get why he's got Mikel in the team, although I still disagree about getting Schurrle off.

http://www.vipboxsa.co/football/204836/1/galatasaray-vs-chelsea-live-stream-online.html

terrible sub by Mourinho imo. Schurrle was the only resemblance we had of a good attacker in the match (although Hazard improved a lot in the second)... why not take Willian off if he must add a DM to this fuckery? I'd take off Lamps if we must have Mikel. Terrible stuff by players and manager imo

well I was about to say I wish we had Wesley to take our corners, but really, our defense was pathetic there... absolutely pathetic. Torres, Azpili marking no one, with Terry chasing another guy. Ridiculous stuff by us

we're trading with our luck here. They can't defend for life, but they can actually attack. I want to slap some sense into those players!!!!

such a stupid foul and yellow for Ramires there...

still the best team in England, both in EPL and UCL

You can see how much a difference Hazard already does in our team when we play against a crappy defense and can't get one attack well done because the boy is having a day off - which is more than acceptable... also I could be wrong, but I guess this is his first UCL knock-out or have Lille ever qualified to R16 while he was there? Maybe he's nervous... even if he played for Lille is a completely different thing playing for Chelsea... Either way, this is not the boy's fault, as we have other attacking players - who have been unlucky and sloppy with their last pass (sometimes even before). Someone should step up - but it seems like we became dependable or just comfortable with Eden doing it and when the boy doesn't do it seems like nobody else does. Apart from the goal, our first half wasn't that good imo.

absolutely! maybe we should move Schurrle to the left, not because Hazard is wasted, but because he's not capitalizing Azpili's efforts. Schurrle seems more lively today and maybe that would help us score more goals.

he's not wasted in the position he plays 90% of the time, he's just having an off day... let's not forget Schurrle and Azpili got the goal exactly from the left... their defense is so bad that none of our attacking players can have any excuse tonight. We in general have been missing more passes than I'd like in the final third... Hopefully Eden can turn it around in the second

that worked the best for me, thanks

don't know, Paulo Andrade said on his twitter account that because of rights they can't show live and will show a VT at 7pm

streams, please?? For whatever reasons the match can't be shown here life :cry:

He's a sort of a douche, mildly attractive, but being a douche the little attractiveness he has is all lost for me Thanks for trying, boys